This spindle is from the Shipibo-Conibo culture in Peru. The weaving in the culture is done by women and is a large part of their culture. In the past the geometrical designs that are commonly seen in Shipibo-Conibo art were part of a codified system that expressed the beliefs and values of the culture. Since contact, the ability to translate these motifs has been lost even among the people; however, the designs and symbols are still present in the artwork. This spindle has a wooden core that is decorated by carved simple lines and widens at the top and narrows to a point at the bottom. The core passes through a stone that widens and narrows at the center and has white, cotton thread wrapped around two-thirds of the core.
